Earthworms in soil at agroecological coffee plantations

Abstract

We evaluated the densities and diversity in populations of edaphic oligochaetes due to differences
in the management of coffee in plantations of coffee in intercropped agroforestry,
agroecological coffee in full sun conventionally coffee (, and two forest fragments were used
as references. The collections were performed in four treatments, at three depths. For each
treatment, abundance and richness of different species were estimated, and richness and
Shannon’s index was calculated. The 0-10 cm depth having higher average abundances (51.7
indíviduos/m2). Agroecological agroecosystems show greater abundance, richness and diversity
when compared to the conventional ones. The FMA1 had the largest number of oligochaetes
(average of 224 ind/m2). In SFA1 only enquitreídeos was found. Pontoscolex corethrurus
predominated in agroecosystems.